Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and Latvia Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and Latvia

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,509 per month in Australia vs $978 in Latvia, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,641 per month in Australia vs $1,504 in Latvia, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,772 per month in Australia vs $2,030 in Latvia, rent included.

The cost of living in Australia is about 157% higher than in Latvia on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Australia sits 83% above the global median, while Latvia is 29% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Australia
Latvia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.16 A$25.48
$14.09 €12.21
28.89%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$85.9 A$120
$57.7 €50.0
48.74%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.87 A$15.25
$8.23 €7.13
32.08%
Cappuccino
$4.11 A$5.77
$3.46 €2.99
18.79%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.04 A$4.27
$1.73 €1.50
75.72%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47 A$3.46
$1.23 €1.06
100.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.87 A$11.04
$5.27 €4.57
49.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.98 A$11.19
$4.63 €4.01
72.35%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Australia
Latvia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.73 A$2.42
$1.25 €1.08
38.40%
White Bread (500g)
$2.78 A$3.90
$1.57 €1.36
77.07%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.38 A$3.34
$2.62 €2.27
-9.16%
Eggs
$5.08 A$7.13
$3.70 €3.20
37.30%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.98 A$14.00
$10.71 €9.28
-6.82%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.24 A$12.96
$8.34 €7.23
10.79%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.49 A$21.73
$15.00 €13.00
3.27%
Apples (1kg)
$3.73 A$5.23
$1.96 €1.70
90.31%
Banana (1kg)
$3.02 A$4.24
$1.86 €1.61
62.37%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.23 A$4.53
$2.59 €2.25
24.71%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.88 A$6.85
$3.15 €2.73
54.92%
Potato (1kg)
$2.87 A$4.03
$0.92 €0.80
211.96%
Onion (1kg)
$2.36 A$3.31
$1.04 €0.90
126.92%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.49 A$3.49
$1.90 €1.65
31.05%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.68 A$2.35
$1.03 €0.90
63.11%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$38.51 A$54.0
$5.87 €5.09
556.05%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.25 A$19.99
$8.03 €6.96
77.46%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$5.07 A$7.11
$1.92 €1.66
164.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.19 A$7.28
$1.99 €1.72
160.80%
🚌 Getting Around
Australia
Latvia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.78 A$3.90
$1.69 €1.46
64.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$94.8 A$133
$34.74 €30.10
173.00%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.52 A$4.94
$3.39 €2.94
3.83%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.60 A$2.24
$0.79 €0.69
102.53%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$40.42 A$56.7
$16.66 €14.44
142.62%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 A$1.79
$1.98 €1.72
-35.86%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.3K A$39.8K
$28.7K €24.9K
-1.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.6K A$40.2K
$32.2K €27.9K
-10.95%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Australia
Latvia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$202 A$283
$336 €291
-39.97%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$29.08 A$40.80
$18.83 €16.32
54.43%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$59.6 A$83.6
$19.99 €17.33
198.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Australia
Latvia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$59.3 A$83.2
$45.45 €39.39
30.43%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.13 A$28.23
$35.47 €30.74
-43.25%
Cinema Ticket
$15.75 A$22.09
$10.39 €9.01
51.59%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Australia
Latvia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,197 A$3,083
$578 €501
280.40%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.2K A$25.6K
$16.8K €14.6K
8.34%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Australia
Latvia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$79.3 A$111
$79.4 €68.8
-0.15%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.2 A$80.3
$48.79 €42.28
17.32%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$114 A$160
$95.4 €82.6
19.70%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$125 A$175
$151 €131
-17.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Australia
Latvia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,581 A$2,217
$436 €378
262.81%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,291 A$1,811
$319 €277
304.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,530 A$3,549
$871 €754
190.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,982 A$2,780
$552 €479
258.80%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,571 A$12.0K
$2,494 €2,161
243.65%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,120 A$8,585
$1,689 €1,464
262.30%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Australia
Latvia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,979 A$5,583
$1,338 €1,160
197.42%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.93
4.37
35.70%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Australia: September 12, 2026

Last update for Latvia: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,387 in Australia vs $207 in Latvia. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,829 in Canberra and $599 in Riga.

Average salary: $3,903 in Australia vs $1,067 in Latvia. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 570% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 68% more in Australia.

Public transport is 427% more expensive in Australia.

Salaries are 266% higher in Australia, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Australia.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Australia vs Latvia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Australia more expensive than Latvia?
Latvia is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 153% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Housing costs more in Australia, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Australia consistently has higher rents.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Latvia, contributing to the overall 153% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Is $3,000 a realistic budget in Australia or in Latvia?
$3,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Latvia, but in Australia it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Should I move to Australia or to Latvia?
Latvia is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.

Australia vs other spots: cost of living compared

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